New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-27
PRICE THREE CENTS.
HOPING TO SAVE THE SCOTIA
ALL THE PASSENGERS TAKEN OFF.


AGED, HOWEVER.
The steamship Scotia was higher and drer than
ever yesterday the Fire Island beach. She had
stuck fast on the outer bar FRIDAY morning, 100
yards or moro FROM the shore. The high tides since
have carried her further and further in until now
she lies scarcely Rfty feet from tho dry sand Of
the beach and one can walk out to her
dry-shod at tho lowest ebb. The vessels head
points almost directly east and her broad side to
the shore Twenty feet Of the hull show above
water Tho masts are gone, one Of them. with
some Of tho rigging still clinging to 1t.
lying In tho shallow water of shore, .
few rods away. The masts. which some
alleged survivors have been made to declare
that tho captain cut away with axe. were Of
iron. Tho iron smokestack. however. was unshak'
en- in the beachng Friday morning and still towers
the big ship. 90 that one can see IL above the
narrow strip of beach from far across Great south
Bay.
The ship in fact, has been at no time in danger
Of breaking up and has been close TO shore that
all on board Of her could be taken off Il necessary
in hour or two and without much difficulty. Ono
hundred and were landed on FRI lay before noon.
Then the Fabre Limo officials sent word that
the passengers still aboard should stay there aud
wait with those already ashore for the schooner
barge Haggerty and the tug Rescue. which they
would all be carried up to New.York
yesterday. Besides the Rescue and the
Haggerty the United States revenue cutter Grant
was on hand yefterday morning. Only the
cutter, however, it was found could take pissen.
gers aboard from the snail boats In the sea
that was then running in near Shore and the Res
cue and HagTerty started back for the smoother
wafer inside the beach in Great South Bay. They
ran through Fire Island Inlet aud lay of Point OF
Woods; on tho inside shore Of the beach. and
waited for the Italians to be brought down.
The Grant took 243 Of the immigrants of tho
Scotia in her small boats and steamed away for
New-YOrk before IL o'clock.
There was nothing TO do but land the rest at once
and send them BY shore or in rowboats and cat
boats down Great South Bay 60 Point of Woods.
I he lfe-b boats and the breeches buoy were put to
work while the Grants boats were
still loading and unloading their contingent.
And as fast as the Italians could como
ashore they were packed away-wIth the ITO who
had spent the night IN the Blue Point Lle-sayInR
station-by half-d ,zens and dozens toward tho
anchoriug place Of the Haggerry and the Rescue.
I he last man to be got ashore an old Italian gray.
beard, with tottering sea legs and hoOeiessly
wlde-mOuthed. seaie leer. was pulled out Of tho
buoy about noon. The barge started few hours
afterward. The two cabin passengers aud ono
man Oh the sick list came to New-York the
of course, stayed aboard the ship. Captain Ruifat
thinks that he may get her off today
or tomorrow. Even il she Is found too high and
fast to float aQaiI soon, he and the crew vii! not
come up to New-York until Tuesday Or Wednesday.
The Italian immigrants had slept another night
aboard the Scotia unwlllngy. They were
iu fever of impatleuce to get their
goods aud their carcasses safely ashore Wale
the bree ehes buoy was working, there WAS
a continual wrangle on the Scoua's deck as 10 wno
should get away hrst At last the officers beat
the n iuto line and the two at its head had the
first ciam ON the buoy thereafter. Most OF the
women aud children were taken ashore IN tho life
boats
The little llfe-saviug station back on the sand
hills was crowded VITA tlese women and children
all the morning rather lll-sm-ling though pIct-
uresque lot the mothers talking away in stream
of higl-voiced Italian full of saints names and
VOWS and inprecItions, the children squawking
and crying kIckIug their dirty heels Oh the dirty
floor The men were kept ont in the open air. fort
una,ey. Many of them fingered Oh the beach.
their bundles on their shoulders. waiting on their
fellows heir clothes old and dirty. and
one would have fauced from their faces that the
only dash of water they had lad since leaving
Italy was he involuntary duckiDg in the breeches
buoy A few of them danced about on rhe sand for
jov W ben they touched ground. and hugeed each
other unaffectedly. The shOremen stand
ing by cut short these DEMONSTRATIONS
by laughing boisterously. Agent Fer Kuile
was kept busy walking from the station
to the beach, looking after the Italians and getting
them started off for Point of Woods lie and
Agent Eweil. who was down on the bcacl in
chaIge of the Scotia's cargo. said yesterday that
732 adult immigrants had come of the ship. They
bad no strict account of the children. but testimated
their number &C something less than 100. The
officers and crew numbered ffty-two.
Mr.. Elwell was sanRuine about getting the Sco-
tia anoat again in a few days. The cargo is still
unlnjured. The work Of dragging her off by means
Of cables will begin to-day She is not, as the
agent says with reason, half barred in the sand and
mud. but only gin and dry on the hard smooth door
of the beach. TN board ship there are many marks
OF the disgusting habits of the low-class Italian
immigrant Tho decks were smeared and sticky
with filth and once out of the free sweep of the air
the bad smell overpOwering. Captain Raftat,
as his passengers were gone, started in with
and liter with which the decks we're covered.
the asasesa place. hm
ly-bullt Frenchman. with sparAilng black eyes ana
rosy cheeks. and wears a fall black beard. lie is
about forty five years old and like nearly all of tho
commanders of French steamers, is an officer IN tho
French Navy. He speaks little Engish fiisSofy
of the manner in which the vessel came ashore Is
f0lOws:
We had hsd steady succession OF strong northwtsterly
gales left Gibraltar aud for three days hat
had no observation. The hrst light We
sghte light aud thought II was the Fire
Isiani llsht there current which sets
n which the charts and
which and thought were st least hve
than atuay were In addition
to th- light havinS ony go tons Of
froi ght aboad and heavy gale OF blowing de
rec on shore When danger the vessel
practically unconl and loipess When TIE
.aser was on all OF attention caring
passengers rhe life people promptly oa
hand. and people hurt
due .arxsy TO their efforts. - There was much
for Tine and IL with great dlculty that
tho we're kept control Both mast vent
over Almost immediately after we stack and Il was wonder
fui tLat one hart ty them We managed to
wrsckage before great damage was one
One of the busiest men about the wreck was
James w. Elwel the cOnsignee 0f tho Scotia. lie
attended all the ngenenfs for the transfer OK
ha IA AZ u I "a